As a prenatal and post-partum yoga and fitness expert and physiotherapist, Dr. Pooja Gupta has unique qualifications to guide women on their fitness and wellness journeys as expecting and new mothers. In an exclusive chat with the Sunday Guardian, she shares her best tips:
Q: What does your role as a prenatal and post-partum wellness and fitness expert entail?
A: As a physiotherapist, I know the human anatomy very well. Hence, I am trained to deal with changes in the body during pregnancy – whether it’s back pain due to enlargement of the baby in the pelvic area, or swelling in the legs. I know the correct exercises to help align the back and reduce swelling in the limbs by encouraging the decrease of blood flow. Plus, my training as a yoga instructor allows me to teach important strengthening moves, stretching exercises and optimal breathing to improve blood supply to the baby. I also advise on nutrition to help patients with their overall health journey.
Q: Do you feel expecting mothers are more aware of the importance of fitness in this day and age?
A: Yes, definitely. Expecting mothers are now more aware about the importance of health and nutrition during pregnancy, as compared to the past. They are very keen to do yoga, or continue with their gym fitness regime to help with the optimal growth of the baby during pregnancy. Yoga in particular helps to prepare your body for normal delivery and that’s what young mothers want. Plus, they are keen to get back to being fit soon after delivering their babies, whether they have had a normal delivery or a Caesarean.
Q. When should one start exercises after delivery?
A: You can start post-natal exercises very soon after your delivery. It’s just a myth that you need complete bedrest for 40 days (unless there are health complications). Nowadays, even gynaecologists recommend starting simple exercises soon after delivery. Pregnancy leads to a muscle deformity in the stomach called diastasis recti, and you need to start exercising to cure this as soon as possible. If you target that area within 40 days of giving birth, you will be able to get back to shape much quicker than if you wait a long time. Further, by starting quickly, you can avoid putting too much pressure on your back which is adversely affected by feeding your baby.
You should also tie your belly with a belt made to your size to help the recti muscle heal faster and to avoid hanging of the skin in your tummy area. This belt helps to stop the division of the muscles into multiple sections. The belt gives you support while you feed your baby and helps prevent back injuries.
Whether one has a normal delivery or a Caesarean, you can start exercising as early as three days after giving birth. Exercises on the first few days after delivery are done on the bed or a chair depending on if you have had a C-section or normal delivery. These mostly strengthen your neck and back muscles and improve the blood flow to your limbs. After seven to ten days of giving birth, you can start standing exercises too.
You should start with very gentle exercises under the guidance of a post-natal fitness expert, and then after few days you can increase the range of the exercises. Do keep in mind that the time for recovery varies from person to person. For the first six months after giving birth, your body’s muscles are raw and can be worked on easily so it’s advisable to start early with very simple exercises.
Q: What would you say are the top pregnancy trends of 2024?
A: I would say exercising with the hope of having a normal delivery is the biggest trend for this year and always. Secondly, I see a lot of patients preserving their placenta tissue after giving birth for future health benefits. Thirdly, maternity and baby photoshoots have become really popular both pre- and post-delivery.
Q. Can people with serious health issues also do prenatal and post-partum yoga?
A: Yoga is beneficial even if you have severe health issues as it helps to make you stronger. You can do prescribed yoga exercises while lying down in your bed, if you have been advised bedrest. However, it’s very important that you consult a qualified expert with specialised knowledge of prenatal yoga, instead of just any yoga teacher. Nowadays, the market is flooded with so-called ‘yoga experts’ who have no medical background or knowledge of the correct prenatal and post-partum exercises.
Things can go wrong if one is not careful. For example, most regular yoga teachers will recommend squats at a very early stage of the pregnancy, not realising that the pelvis shouldn’t open till the last trimester for the sake of the baby. Early squats can even be harmful where there are specific health issues such as a low-lying placenta. A qualified person can guide you on dealing with medical issues properly, as well as the correct stages to do certain exercises. If your baby is in a breach position, specific exercises can help to change that when done at the right time. A qualified person can also guide you best on how to have a healthy pregnancy if you are expecting twins.
You can contact Dr. Pooja Gupta for consultations in-person or online at poojavarshney84@gmail.com.
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.